Don't remember the author (it was a rinpoche) who said;
"Ignorance is an omnipresent phenomena"

Perhaps you are thinking of the mahasiddha Zappa who famously said in one of his dohas:

Some scientists claim that hydrogen, because it is so plentiful, is the basic building block of the universe. I dispute that. I say there is more stupidity than hydrogen, and that is the basic building block of the universe.

It was this one

“We can observe many varieties of suffering and at the same time recognize a common basis that applies to all beings. This common basis is omnipresent ignorance, and it expresses itself in a constant alternation between hope and fear.”

~Lama Gendun Rinpoche

Yup, but it has nothing to do with measuring worldly things like power and weakness, war and peace, etc.

The different sūtras in accord with the emptiness
taught by the Sugata are definitive in meaning;
One can understand that all of those Dharmas in
which a sentient being, individual, or person are taught are provisional in meaning.

Yup, but it has nothing to do with measuring worldly things like power and weakness, war and peace, etc.

In many cases it does, the length countries or ppl go through to aquire power or wealth is mostly based on the delusion of self, grasping/rejecting, hope and fear. And ppls measurement is often based on the same, your politicians are still making decision based on the cold war paranoia and citizens are being spoon fed to buy into it. Whether the actual measurement is based on facts (the way you refer to it) or not, one can measure the branches but I tend to view it from the root, hence we look at things differently depending on things in this conceptual universe, a word like power is relative afterall hence we can look at it differently, which makes it fun. So I could say for the sake of the conversation yes to your version of powerful, but that kind of power is no power to me at all.

Yup, but it has nothing to do with measuring worldly things like power and weakness, war and peace, etc.

In many cases it does, the length countries or ppl go through to aquire power or wealth is mostly based on the delusion of self, grasping/rejecting, hope and fear.

Great, so it is all based on hope and fear. Fantastic. Then what?

And ppls measurement is often based on the same, your politicians are still making decision based on the cold war paranoia and citizens are being spoon fed to buy into it.

Not just my politicians, also your politicians in Europe are making the same kinds of decisions. You think Russia is a friend of Western Europe, or of democracy in general? I don't. The reason why NATO was created is still there.

Whether the actual measurement is based on facts (the way you refer to it) or not, one can measure the branches but I tend to view it from the root,

It is fine to view things from the root, but if you cannot cure it, you are like a hero without weapons.

hence we look at things differently depending on things in this conceptual universe, a word like power is relative afterall hence we can look at it differently, which makes it fun. So I could say for the sake of the conversation yes to your version of powerful, but that kind of power is no power to me at all.

Apart from the fact that because of American power, Russians are not invading Europe, though they are trying to destroy the EU by backing fascists in every country.

The different sūtras in accord with the emptiness
taught by the Sugata are definitive in meaning;
One can understand that all of those Dharmas in
which a sentient being, individual, or person are taught are provisional in meaning.

I'm not going into the politics, especially when it involves ppl like Trump or Wilders. but the reason Trump was elected yet a guy like Wilders here doesnt dominate the news and will never have a political position of power is because we mostly ignore him.

please dont take anything in the media (in english) regarding Wilders or the PVV seriously its not in accordance with reality nor is there are cure needed for something that will never grow into a full tree. Just like the so called invasion of Russia lol

Amerika always thinks its saving the world from something whether its communism drugs terrorism like Reagans war on drugs were about so called drugs (it wasnt) while ironically it flushed drugs into the country making deals with terrorists/cartels to fight another cold war paranoias enemy, making everything only worse for the whole planet. You CIA made so many bad calls post WW-II that it's in 90% of the cases actually more the cause then the effect, and now being deluded that your protecting Europe from Russia is a sign of power. Whats happening in the world now with terrorism is a direct result of Afghanistan 1979 with your politicians/CIA irrealistic fear of communism, and vietnam mentioned too.

Too be safe even though intended well, perhaps not protect us until theres actually a reason to and we ask for it? Your governments cures were most of the time the diseases

Theres no power in being deluded something is a cure yet a disease. It's pretend power, megalomania.

“Second, and a bit less obviously, Flynn would have been unlikely to make a deal if he were expecting a presidential pardon. The fact that he seems not to be is new information — though, again, what exactly that means is speculative.”

This is also where my mind went when news broke of Flynn’s plea deal today. It is pure speculation, of course, but Flynn and his legal team may have factored in an impeached President’s lost power to pardon convicts in their strategic calculus.

This is the first time since the investigation began that I’ve felt any true hope that Trump will be impeached.

ༀ་ཨཱཿ་ཧཱུྃ
Oṃ Āḥ Hūṃ
Om Ah Hung

"Whilst lacking pure renunciation there is no way to pacify
The continual thirst for pleasure in the ocean of saṃsāra,
And since all living beings are bound by their craving for existence,
You must begin by finding the determination to be free."

Man, who would have expected the ride we're all having right now? ... The money's rolling in and this is fun. I've never seen anything like this, and this going to be a very good year for us. Sorry. It's a terrible thing to say. But, bring it on, Donald. Keep going.
CBS Chairman Les Moonves, during the 2016 campaign.

Now, stare at him again. And keep looking. If you don’t take him in, you won’t understand what this moment actually is. Yes, he’s the Dumbfounding Father of twenty-first-century America and that’s distracting, but he’s also the ultimate symptom of the unfounding of this nation, of the moment when — to slightly adapt a Cole Porter line — Plymouth Rock finally landed on us.

Truly, don’t look away from the unbelievable figure now in the White House because how else will you know where we are? And until we grasp that, until we understand that he isn’t an aberration but the zeitgeist and that simply removing him from the Oval Office won’t solve our problems, we aren’t anywhere at all.

Apart from the fact that because of American power, Russians are not invading Europe,

that opinion would be funny if the consequences were not sad. actually paranoia and ignorance r what brought that president to power. russia was a part of europe much be4 there was an idea of an ameriKa.
besides, u r offending a nation, next time i will report u.

For all the professed abiding in Dharmic equanimity, your 'Amerika' betrays your bias.

funny how u did not notice any bias in the sentences about amerika and russia, nice.

Apart from the fact that because of American power, Russians are not invading Europe,

that opinion would be funny if the consequences were not sad. actually paranoia and ignorance r what brought that president to power. russia was a part of europe much be4 there was an idea of an ameriKa.
besides, u r offending a nation, next time i will report u.

For all the professed abiding in Dharmic equanimity, your 'Amerika' betrays your bias.

funny how u did not notice any bias in the sentences about amerika and russia, nice.

Yup, other Europeans nations have no reason to fear Russia, which has never, ever invaded other countries and oppressed their people, not recently, no never.

i agree with u. so has britain, france, germany, italy, portugal and holland...heck, scandinavians had vikings. the history of the world is full of conflict.
i cant agree, tho, that there is this fair, democratic and peaceful government that keeps the world safe from who, well,.. the ruskies. hm.
i think that the world has so many problems that it would behove the superpowers to work together instead of fostering paranoia, but again that is just another opinion.
id like to bow out of this discussion and let interested parties continue the topic i rudely interrupted.
and funny tho, up in that space station, yanks and ruskies work together like clockwork.

Another log on the fire,
10,000 frogs singing in the rain,
burst into flames.
- Linda Anderson

The different sūtras in accord with the emptiness
taught by the Sugata are definitive in meaning;
One can understand that all of those Dharmas in
which a sentient being, individual, or person are taught are provisional in meaning.

I'm not going into the politics, especially when it involves ppl like Trump or Wilders. but the reason Trump was elected yet a guy like Wilders here doesnt dominate the news and will never have a political position of power is because we mostly ignore him.

please dont take anything in the media (in english) regarding Wilders or the PVV seriously its not in accordance with reality nor is there are cure needed for something that will never grow into a full tree. Just like the so called invasion of Russia lol

Amerika always thinks its saving the world from something whether its communism drugs terrorism like Reagans war on drugs were about so called drugs (it wasnt) while ironically it flushed drugs into the country making deals with terrorists/cartels to fight another cold war paranoias enemy, making everything only worse for the whole planet. You CIA made so many bad calls post WW-II that it's in 90% of the cases actually more the cause then the effect, and now being deluded that your protecting Europe from Russia is a sign of power. Whats happening in the world now with terrorism is a direct result of Afghanistan 1979 with your politicians/CIA irrealistic fear of communism, and vietnam mentioned too.

Too be safe even though intended well, perhaps not protect us until theres actually a reason to and we ask for it? Your governments cures were most of the time the diseases

Theres no power in being deluded something is a cure yet a disease. It's pretend power, megalomania.

It's all about colonialism ..America jumped into the opium trade with it's Yankee traders late in that game.

the whole arm and create rebels in third world resource rich countries , throw it into a state of uncontrollable confusion and mayhem ,is a game they play well...they learned from the best and bested their teachers.

oddly enough the safest places on the planet are near the mines and oil refineries like in Nigeria. the resources flow without interruption.
why is that...outside those place maniacal child soldiers rape and burn whilst being blinded with drugs...how is that possible?

OK, this is interesting. With reference to https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/searc ... q=politics I feel that TC was using 'politics' in either the second, third or fourth senses listed there and apparently in those senses it can take either a singular or plural verb, something I didn't know. I can say that as a native American English speaker I find "US politics is boring" much more natural sounding.

There is not only nothingness because there is always, and always can manifest. - Thinley Norbu Rinpoche

OK, this is interesting. With reference to https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/searc ... q=politics I feel that TC was using 'politics' in either the second, third or fourth senses listed there and apparently in those senses it can take either a singular or plural verb, something I didn't know. I can say that as a native American English speaker I find "US politics is boring" much more natural sounding.

Politic also means:

Showing sound or pragmatic judgment; prudent; judicious: found it politic not to mention his youthful indiscretions.

The different sūtras in accord with the emptiness
taught by the Sugata are definitive in meaning;
One can understand that all of those Dharmas in
which a sentient being, individual, or person are taught are provisional in meaning.

OK, this is interesting. With reference to https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/searc ... q=politics I feel that TC was using 'politics' in either the second, third or fourth senses listed there and apparently in those senses it can take either a singular or plural verb, something I didn't know. I can say that as a native American English speaker I find "US politics is boring" much more natural sounding.

Politic also means:

Showing sound or pragmatic judgment; prudent; judicious: found it politic not to mention his youthful indiscretions.

Yes, but there it is an adjective.

There is not only nothingness because there is always, and always can manifest. - Thinley Norbu Rinpoche